Vorteks Esc blinking red

[michicrm]

Hi All,

I have browsed through the comments and there seem to be similar issues with some users but nothing on there helped so far in my case. I am a little desperate since the car does not work right now. Maybe I start from the beginning.

I bought my vorteks a year ago and it was running just fine for the most part. I had some overheating issues but that seems to be the problem with vorteks I read. 2 weeks ago I read that this could be solved by upgrading from the factory builtin 100A ESC to the 130A Esc. I want to buy a roller in the future anyway so I decided to go for the 130A ESC and wanted to try it in the Vorteks. My first questions is: Can I do that with all other electronics being stock?

So when I connected the new ESC the red light constantly blinks and it will not take the throttle. I tried calibrating the ESC as described in the manual but it won't work. When entering calibration mode there is a constant red light with beeps which is supposed to do it. In the manual it says to leave the transmitter in neutral position and then press the set button again. Then a green light should follow when the esc takes the setting. When I press the set button the beeping stops and nothing happens (no green light). I thought that maybe the new ESC is broken. When I connected the old 100A one it behaves exactly the same way.

I also binden the receiver and the transmitter again. I also reset the transmitter and the esc to factory setting. After that, binden the whole thing again but nothing worked.

I have the bluetooth module to connect to my transmitter. Connection works and with both ESC´s I get the alarm that the ESC´s are overheated (see screenshot). It gives me the maximum temperature. Has anyone had that issue before?

Since I tried 2 ESC´s I guess they are not the issue. Can it be that it is the receiver?

Thanks already for your input. I am really lost what else I can try out.

Michael

 

[parcou]

Hi All,

I have browsed through the comments and there seem to be similar issues with some users but nothing on there helped so far in my case. I am a little desperate since the car does not work right now. Maybe I start from the beginning.

I bought my vorteks a year ago and it was running just fine for the most part. I had some overheating issues but that seems to be the problem with vorteks I read. 2 weeks ago I read that this could be solved by upgrading from the factory builtin 100A ESC to the 130A Esc. I want to buy a roller in the future anyway so I decided to go for the 130A ESC and wanted to try it in the Vorteks. My first questions is: Can I do that with all other electronics being stock?

So when I connected the new ESC the red light constantly blinks and it will not take the throttle. I tried calibrating the ESC as described in the manual but it won't work. When entering calibration mode there is a constant red light with beeps which is supposed to do it. In the manual it says to leave the transmitter in neutral position and then press the set button again. Then a green light should follow when the esc takes the setting. When I press the set button the beeping stops and nothing happens (no green light). I thought that maybe the new ESC is broken. When I connected the old 100A one it behaves exactly the same way.

I also binden the receiver and the transmitter again. I also reset the transmitter and the esc to factory setting. After that, binden the whole thing again but nothing worked.

I have the bluetooth module to connect to my transmitter. Connection works and with both ESC´s I get the alarm that the ESC´s are overheated (see screenshot). It gives me the maximum temperature. Has anyone had that issue before?

Since I tried 2 ESC´s I guess they are not the issue. Can it be that it is the receiver?

Thanks already for your input. I am really lost what else I can try out.

Michael

View attachment 288318

This is not going to answer your question. I do not know the answer...

I had a similar issue like that twice...

First. I did not notice the ESC wire the orange wire was cut. Somehow I pinched and cut it and the ESC would not bind until I soldered the break.

Second. Think I had a DX3 radio and I did not have the knobs or dials in the zero or right positions for it to bind correctly. Once I set them right I was able to get the process done.

Maybe someone will chime in that knows more than me.

 

[Pinepig]

If you can't get it to bind it's likely a receiver problem. Get a receiver battery of some sort and test it with the ESC out of the loop, receiver/servo/battery. That's all you need. If you can get the receiver to bind and the servo to move then the problem is with the ESC somewhere.

 

[michicrm]

Hi all, thanks for your input. I ordered a new receiver and everything works fine now. I could bind the receiver with the Transmitter plus I could calibrate the esc. Not sure why I broke my old receiver though. Stiring /AVS worked just not the throttle. I tried out a new servo. Maybe that’s what broke it. Anyone know if it is possible to reset the receiver to factory settings? I could not find anything documented. Thanks for your help and your warm welcome.

 

[Pinepig]

Receivers, servos and ESCs live a tough life in these everything is out of balance vibrating slam to the ground over and over again vehicles. We used to wrap our receivers in a thin foam like neoprene before stuffing them in powered RC aircraft back in the day but that was before the newer surface mount electronics that everything uses now. Probably still wouldn't be a bad idea to support the receivers on a small thin foam layer, thicker double sided servo tape would likely help.

 

[Velodromed]

Anyone know if it is possible to reset the receiver to factory settings?

The receiver can’t be reset but the esc can. Power it up and then hold down the small button next to the power button for 5 seconds or until it beeps.
The stock s651 servos can cause havoc with the system when they go out. I replace mine with the s652 from the 6s line. They drop right in using the stock Servo saver. 19 bucks on Jenny’s and I also get several steering assemblies (bellcrank, servo saver and link) for a couple bucks each. When steering suffers I drop a new set in and all good.
The vorteks was released with a poorly programmed esc. They tend to hit LVC at 3.9/cell. They can be reprogrammed but I’ve had trouble doing so. I ended up placing a warranty order for it and they sent me a new one that works great.
The 130a esc works very well on the 3s line. They have them at jennysrc.com for $84. I’ve been running three of them in my 3/4s cars for over 2 years now without issue.

 

[michicrm]

Hi, great, many thanks for the hints. I also find the stock servo a little weak. I guess I will try out the one for the 6S models. Also with the stock 100A ESC I experienced the same that there was plenty of juice left in the lipo when the esc cuts off. Also I had some issues with overheating and sometimes I got the „red lights of death“ but once I switched the car on and off it was normal most of the time. I had a run with the new 130A ESC an there it was a lot better and it utilized more of the lipo power. It is weird that I heard those problems mostly for the Vorteks but not for the other 3S 4x4 models. Thanks all for your input.

 

[Velodromed]

Hi, great, many thanks for the hints. I also find the stock servo a little weak. I guess I will try out the one for the 6S models. Also with the stock 100A ESC I experienced the same that there was plenty of juice left in the lipo when the esc cuts off. Also I had some issues with overheating and sometimes I got the „red lights of death“ but once I switched the car on and off it was normal most of the time. I had a run with the new 130A ESC an there it was a lot better and it utilized more of the lipo power. It is weird that I heard those problems mostly for the Vorteks but not for the other 3S 4x4 models. Thanks all for your input.

The old 3s line uses a different, tried and true blx100 esc while the vorteks uses a new spectrum smart 100 esc. The first production run has issues but it’s good now. The vendetta and 3s infraction have them and they work great. Go ahead and warranty the old one so you’ll have a back up.